MAM
Kunal Jeswani moves to Singapore as group CEO at Ogilvy Singapore & Malaysia
Mumbai: After 17 years with Ogilvy India, Kunal Jeswani will be moving to Singapore as Ogilvy Singapore & Malaysia’s group chief executive, the agency said on Friday. It further announced that VR Rajesh will be elevated as Ogilvy India group president, effective 1 June.
Having led the India business for the last seven years, Jeswani will be with Ogilvy India for the next two months to manage the country leadership transition.
On his new role, Jeswani said, “Ogilvy India is easily one of the best agencies in the world and it has been an absolute privilege to spend the last 17 years in the company of giants who I love, respect and have grown with. As I move to a different market and a different Ogilvy experience – Ogilvy India is bigger, better and more vibrant than it has ever been. I am sure that under VR’s leadership, our client relationships will thrive, and our work will shine even brighter.”
As group president, VR Rajesh will lead the integrated Ogilvy India P&L across all its offices and will be responsible for the acceleration of all its core capabilities in India – advertising, brand and content, experience, health, PR & influence and Ogilvy Consulting.
VR Rajesh joined Ogilvy in 2004 and has grown from strength to strength in the organisation. A powerful growth driver, an influential client partner and a passionate creative partner, he has led Ogilvy Mumbai & Kolkata since 2018, growing the business consistently year after year, the agency said in a statement.
“Over the last seven years, Kunal has shaped a people-centric culture and laid foundations for Ogilvy’s digital transformation. It’s a privilege to take the baton from him and continue the journey,” commented VR Rajesh. “The next couple of years will see us accelerate new-age digital competencies and strengthen our content offering by being more regional and local. It’s going to be an exciting ride in creating a comprehensive Ogilvy offering for our clients. I am sure it won’t be difficult when one has a family of giants.”
“I am delighted that after a stellar performance at Ogilvy India, Kunal is moving to head Ogilvy Singapore & Malaysia. This important responsibility will add international exposure to Kunal’s rich experience across the many aspects of the communications business. VR Rajesh, who takes on the baton from Kunal, is an Ogilvy stalwart and I am confident he will take Ogilvy India and our clients to greater heights. On behalf of the Ogilvy India Board, I welcome VR to this new responsibility,” stated Ogilvy chairman – global creative Piyush Pandey.
Brands
Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen to step down after 18 years in role
Board begins CEO search as Narayen prepares to move to chair role
SAN JOSE: After nearly two decades at the helm, Adobe’s long-serving chief executive Shantanu Narayen is preparing to pass the baton.
The company announced that Narayen will transition from his role as chief executive officer once a successor is appointed, ending an 18-year run that reshaped Adobe from a boxed software seller into a global cloud and AI powerhouse. He will remain chair of the board following the leadership transition.
Adobe’s board has formed a special committee to oversee the succession process, led by lead independent director Frank Calderoni. The committee will evaluate both internal and external candidates.
“Shantanu’s leadership has been instrumental in Adobe’s transformation and in positioning the company for the AI-driven era,” Calderoni said in a statement. “As we begin the next phase of succession planning, our focus is on identifying the right leader for the company’s next chapter while ensuring a smooth transition.”
In a note to employees, Narayen described the moment not as a farewell but as a pause for reflection after a long journey with the company.
“I love Adobe and the privilege of leading it has been the greatest honour of my career,” he wrote, adding that he will continue to work closely with the board over the coming months to ensure a seamless leadership change.
Tributes from the technology industry quickly followed the announcement. Microsoft chairman and chief executive officer Satya Nadella congratulated Narayen on what he described as a “legendary run” at Adobe.
“Congrats Shantanu, on a legendary run at Adobe! You’ve built one of the most important software companies in the world, and expanded what’s possible for creators, entrepreneurs, and brands everywhere,” Nadella wrote on LinkedIn.
“What has always stood out to me is the empathy you’ve brought to the creative process and the example you’ve set as a leader. Grateful for your friendship, mentorship, and for all you’ve done for Adobe and for our industry.”
Narayen’s career at Adobe spans nearly three decades. He joined the company in 1998 as vice president and rose steadily through the ranks before becoming chief executive officer in December 2007.
During that time, he orchestrated one of the most significant reinventions in the software industry. In 2013, Adobe made the bold decision to abandon traditional boxed software sales and move its flagship creative tools such as Photoshop to a subscription-based Creative Cloud model. The shift initially rattled investors but ultimately transformed Adobe into a predictable recurring revenue business and a case study in digital reinvention.
Narayen also pushed Adobe beyond creative tools into the world of marketing technology and data-driven customer experience, spearheading acquisitions such as Omniture and Marketo. Those moves helped build Adobe’s digital experience division and broaden its reach far beyond designers and photographers.
The numbers tell the story of that transformation. When Narayen took over in 2007, Adobe generated roughly $3 billion in annual revenue. Today the company reports more than $25 billion. Over the same period, its workforce expanded from around 3,000 employees to more than 30,000.
In recent years, Narayen has steered Adobe into the generative AI era with the launch of Adobe Firefly, aiming to keep the company ahead in a rapidly evolving creative technology landscape.
Born in Hyderabad in 1963, Narayen studied electronics and communication engineering at Osmania University before moving to the United States for a master’s degree in computer science from Bowling Green State University. He later earned an MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.
Widely regarded as one of Silicon Valley’s most steady and effective leaders, Narayen has earned multiple honours during his career, including India’s Padma Shri in 2019.
For Adobe, the upcoming leadership change marks the end of a defining chapter. For Narayen, however, the story is far from finished. As he told employees, the company’s next era of creativity, powered by AI and new digital workflows, is only just beginning.
